Canadian World Traveller Winter 2021-22 Issue

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Canadian World Traveller Winter 2021-22
hundreds of plaques honouring deceased individuals.
These memorials are paid for by relatives
and close friends.
We then headed down to the Po Lin
Monastery, which lies in the shadow of the
Buddha, to have a simple but satisfying vegetarian
meal prepared by the monks.
Village Theme Park
The perfect return route from the Po Lin
Monastery is to take a stroll through the nearby
Ngong Ping Cultural Village, a sort of Chinese
version of a North American theme park. After
visiting its moving 'Walking with Buddha' pavilion
we headed for the terminus of the Ngong Ping
360.
Sky-High Ride
The Ngong Ping 360 is a spectacular 5.7km
(3.5 miles), 25-minute ride that crosses Tung
Chung Bay and touches on the Hong Kong airport
island before heading towards North Lantau
where we boarded one of its cars for our return
trip from Po Lin Monastery.
Date at Harbour City
During our early supper at Harbour City,
located in the Tsim Sha Tsui waterside district of
Kowloon, excitement definitely was in the air as
this was the night of the extraordinary annually
held Lunar New Year Fireworks Display over
Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour!
Harbour City is an immense commercial
complex that was built on the former site of
wharfs and dockside warehouses.
Fierce Temple God
After the Wong Tai Sin Temple, where I had
my fortune read, the Che Kung Temple is definitely
Hong Kong's second most popular shrine.
We visited this renowned Buddhist temple,
located in the Sha Tin District of the New
Territories, on the third day of Chinese New Year,
which is the birthday of the shrine's demigod Che
Kung.
He was a fierce general from the Sung
Dynasty (960-1279 AD) who was elevated to
Buddhist immortality on account of his heroic
deeds. His much-venerated towering bronze
statue, which stands several metres tall in the
main hall of the temple, is indeed an awesome
sight to behold!
Che Kung is considered by many to be Hong
Kong's undisputed god of gambling and as such,
thousands of worshipers gather here on his
birthday to pray to him for good fortune in the
coming year.
Winds of Change
Incense sticks and huge arrays of colourful
paper windmills were for sale just outside the
temple walls. Apparently, paper windmills purchased
at the temple blow good luck winds into
your home throughout the year when placed in a
window or doorway.
As the day wore on, it was amusing to see the
discount signs for the windmills go up. But on a
more serious note, I was once again totally
astounded by the fervour of both young and old
devotees of this impressive and obviously highly
revered place of worship.
Proud Heritage
I wish I could say that my quest to find my
Chinese roots ended in the historic heritage vil-
lage of Ping Shan. It didn't, but this was as close
as it got. My mum's maiden name was 'Cheong'
but it could just as well been 'Tang' when I alighted
in the village of Ping Shan.
Ping Shan has one of the longest recorded
histories in all of Hong Kong and the lineage of
the Tang clan is firmly rooted right here.
Considered one of the "Five Great Clans" in the
New Territories, the Tang clan can amazingly
trace its roots as far back as the twelfth century.
High Threshold
On entering his beautifully restored multi-storied
ancestral village residence, an amusing
anecdote was created by us having to step over
the rather high threshold of the entranceway.
Our guide Andy had previously told me that
the reason for the high thresholds in village
homes was to keep out the chickens and other
village livestock! Now I learnt that the real reason
was to remind visitors that they were entering
a place that should be treated with reverence.
Timeless Pagoda
After touring the two levels of the fascinating
Kun Ting Study Hall, which was built in 1870 by
Tang Heung Chuen, a 22nd-generation ancestor
of the Tang clan, for students preparing for the
imperial civil service examination, we strolled
over to the site of Hong Kong's only truly ancient
pagoda.
The original five-storey Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda,
which means "Pagoda of Gathering Stars", was
built by Tang Yin-tung, a seventh generation
ancestor of the clan, more than 600 years ago!
It was damaged by strong winds and subsequently
rebuilt as today's still impressive threestorey
pagoda.
Living Memories
The really fascinating part of the Ping Shan
Heritage Trail was visiting the recently established
hilltop Tang Clan Gallery, which is housed
in the Old Ping Shan Police Station built in 1899
by the British.
Happily, in 2007, the defunct colonial-styled
police station was wonderfully restored and
became the repository for many of the Tang
Clan's treasured artefacts from its long line of
notable ancestors. The gallery even includes a
case displaying the historic outfit worn by our
charming 'clan guide' Kwai Man on her own
wedding day. How I wish I could have found
such a remarkable tribute to the Cheong Clan!
Kung Hei Fat Choy!
For those not familiar with that greeting, it's
Happy New Year in Chinese. And what a happy
time it was to be in Hong Kong to celebrate the
beginning of the Year of the Ox and to re-establish
my Chinese connection!
As I stood on one of the breathtaking lookout
points on Victoria Peak, high above Hong Kong's
forest of futuristic skyscrapers and its shimmering
harbour on my last night in this scintillating city,
I began the understand for the first time the contradictions
inherent in my late Chinese grandfather
Ol' Cheong. After all, he was Chinese yet
Western - every bit like contrary yet totally loveable
Hong Kong!
www.discoverhongkong.com